Australian-based Ray Nainggolan refused entrance to USA

AUSTRALIAN-born, Indonesia-raised singer, songwriter and worship leader Ray Nainggolan (aka Ray & Co) was blocked from entering the USA on 28th May. The former member of Hillsong, was stopped upon arrival at San Francisco International Airport en route to Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts. He was questioned as he passed through customs with AU$3,000 in cash and two guitars. US officials detained him for seven hours and after extensive questioning concluded that the singer could not proceed any further into the US due to the nature of his visa. Nainggolan was travelling under the auspices of a B-1 Visitor's Visa as opposed to a P-1 Entertainment Visa, a non-immigrant visa which allows foreign nationals who are athletes, artists and musical groups to enter into the US for a specific event, competition or performance. The leading official determined that Ray would be a burden on the US economy and sent Ray back to Australia the following day.

Ray was travelling to the US to spend the next three months promoting his 'White Noise Visions' album via concert/festival performances, interviews, a video shoot and several other promotional activities. Ironically, Ray spent four years in the US attending college at Gordon College in Massachusetts beginning in 2000 and, thereafter, was afforded the opportunity to move to Australia where he became involved with the Hillsong movement. He was a featured guitarist on the Hillsong Kids albums 'Follow You' and 'Tell The World'.